The US Supreme Court has ruled that lawsuits regarding human rights abuses committed abroad cannot be heard by courts in the US.

12 Nigerians had filed a case against Shell over human rights violations in Nigeria during a crackdown on protestors in the early nineties, accusing the corporation of complicity in murder committed by the government.

However Chief Justice Roberts said that the Alien Tort Statute, a law passed in 1789, is not applicable in this Shell because it was not intended to be applied outside the US.

"Nothing in the text of the statute suggests that Congress intended causes of action recognised under it to have extraterritorial reach", Chief Justice Roberts said.

The ruling is expected to have an impact on other cases against corporations, like the one against mining company Rio Tinto over alleged abuses in Papua New Guinea.

The European Union will lift all embargoes place on Burma, except for on weapons, in light of the "remarkable process of reform" the country has seen, reported Reuters on Thursday.

A document seen by the news agency reportedly states that the European Union is set "to lift all sanctions with the exception of the embargo on arms", adding,

"The EU is willing to open a new chapter in its relations with Myanmar, building a lasting partnership".

The move will allow EU companies to invest in the country, though to put pressure on the US to also take similar steps. Marae Ciantar, a Singapore-based lawyer at the international law firm Allens commented,

"The U.S. will no doubt carefully consider the lifting of sanctions by the EU and the rationale for that step in determining the next steps that the U.S. takes in relation to its Myanmar sanctions".

See the report from Reuters here.

Dozens of people were killed in a suicide attack on a Baghdad cafe on Thursday, just days before scheduled provincial elections.

The bomb on Thursday night killed at least 26 pople at a cafe reportedly packed with mainly young people.

More than 50 people were also reported injured.

See the Guardian for full report.

Ahead of the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, Amnesty International have released a statement condemning the Bahraini government’s use of sporting event to cover up human rights abuses.

Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said in a statement,

“The authorities are trying to use the Grand Prix as a platform to show progress, with claims that the human rights situation has improved, whilst stepping up repression in order to ensure nothing disturbs their public image."

“Instead of responding to the uprising of February 2011, the last two years have seen continued killings, arbitrary arrests and alleged torture in Bahrain."

“We are seeing nothing but crackdowns and token gestures to clean up the country’s image.  Families wait for justice for their killed relatives, opposition leaders languish in jail, and children are detained and tried under the anti-terrorism law."

“The Bahraini government says the country is engaged in human rights reform. The onus is on them to demonstrate it. They should immediately release all prisoners of conscience, let demonstrators exercise their rights peacefully and allow unrestricted access to NGOs and journalists to monitor the situation around the Grand Prix.”

His statement comes as the British All-Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Bahrain, consisting of 20 MP’s wrote to  F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone calling for a cancellation of the race, with chairman Andy Slaughter stating,

“I think most democratic-minded people would be appalled if you allowed the Bahrain leg of the Formula 1 championship to go ahead amidst the most atrocious human rights violations."

Earlier last week, Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said last week,

"Bahraini authorities are arbitrarily detaining opposition protesters in advance of the Grand Prix. This suggests officials are more concerned with getting activists out of circulation than with addressing the legitimate grievances that have led so many Bahrainis to take to the streets".

The US has ordered troops to Jordan for possible humanitarian or 'stability' operations in Syria as well as chemical weapons control.

Although about 150 troops were sent to Jordan last year to help train Jordanian and Syrian opposition forces, the dispatch of a headquarters unit may indicate a potential expansion of the US's military role in the region.

See the Washington Post for full report.

Kosovo and Serbia failed to agree on a plan after 14 hours of talks between the respective prime ministers, making talks on Serbia joining the EU in June unlikely.

The EU's Catherine Ashton said that the differences of both sides were "narrow and very shallow", and added:

"We have some hours left. I hope in that time, that both delegations will reflect on whether they can take the final steps necessary to finish this agreement and to move their people forward into the future,"

The Serbian prime minister, Ivica Dacic said:

"It is clear however that Pristina (the Kosovo capital) is not ready to go to the very end and that it is obstructing these talks ... and even threatens to resolve the issue of northern Kosovo with some other methods,"

Kosovo's prime minister meanwhile said that Serbia had rejected proposals by Ashton on normalising relations.

At least two people have died and over 100 left injured after the Boston Marathon was hit by two explosions on Monday afternoon.

Dramatic footage showed the explosions near the finishing line and blood-covered casualties could be seen being taken away from the scene of the blasts.

Another device was reportedly detonated by police in the same area.

Please see here for live coverage.

Rwanda slammed the “wagging finger” of the West, as it blocked a United Nations Security Council statement from mentioning the International Criminal Court, at a council meeting on preventing conflict in Africa.

Rwanda's Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo, told the council,

"Rather than delivering justice and preventing impunity, the practice is that the International Criminal Court has shown itself subject to political manipulation,"

The Minister went on to say the court was “skewed”, saying,

"We believe that the time for Africa to be subjected to a wagging finger, a punishing finger from the West is over... We think that it is time for Africa and its partners in the north to really have a serious discussion about international justice".

Rwanda organised the meeting, whilst heading the presidency of the council for April 2013. The final statement from the council agreed upon the need to "prosecute persons responsible for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or other serious violations of international humanitarian law".

However, other members did mention the ICC in their individual statements, with France’s UN ambassador Gerard Araud saying, "We regret the absence of a reference to the ICC," and Britain’s Mark Lyall Grant adding “"The International Criminal Court and other regional tribunals are vital to ending impunity".

See the report from AFP here.

A statement by the main UN agencies has called for the international community to take action against the “carnage” in Syria.

In a rare joint statement by the heads of the WHO, Unicef, Ocha, WFP and UNHRC, the agencies have called for more than just funds to solve the Syrian conflict.

The agencies said there was "an insufficient sense of urgency among the governments and parties that could put a stop to the cruelty and carnage in Syria".

"The needs are growing while our capacity to do more is diminishing,

“We are precariously close, perhaps within weeks, to suspending some humanitarian support", the statement said, blaming insecurity and the lack of funds.

But the statement further said the appeal was "not for more resources, needed as they are".

"We are appealing for something more important than funds. To all involved in this brutal conflict and to all governments that can influence them:

"In the name of all those who have so suffered, and the many more whose futures hang in the balance: Enough! Summon and use your influence, now, to save the Syrian people and save the region from disaster. "

Nicolas Maduro, President-elect of Venezuela, accused the opposition of planning a coup after seven government supporters were killed in clashes over Maduro's election victory.

In a national speech Maduro said:

"This is the responsibility of those who have called for violence, who have ignored the constitution and the institutions,"

"Their plan is a coup d'etat."

See Reuters for full report.

The Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, set to take place later this month, has once again faced intense criticism, after anti-government protests saw a brutal crackdown by the government two years ago.

The 2011 Grand Prix was cancelled with the race taking place the following year amid intense criticism and widespread anti-government protests continuing. More protests are set to commence this week ahead of the scheduled race.

Former F1 World Champion, Damon Hill, has spoken out against the sport’s ruling body’s ambiguous stance on Bahrain,stating,

“Jean Todt's approach has been to say nothing, because otherwise you're being critical, and I think that is a mistake. Because he's being used, or the sport is being perceived as being used, by its engagement in the economy and the reputation of the country.”

"He's not said anything that has distanced the sport from things that it would find distasteful and upsetting, which I believe everyone in the sport would like to do.”

"The vast majority of people in the sport would like to say we don't want to come here to make life worse for people. We would like you to enjoy Formula One. It has lots of positive things to offer. But please don't, on our behalf, round people up and brutalise them. I don't see that being political. It's more ethical than political."

"I would not want to go to Bahrain if people are going to be treated extra bad just so a race can go ahead. What we don't want to have is F1 being responsible for making life worse for people. The question is whether F1, by going to Bahrain, is actually going to enable or further brutal repression."

"It's none of my business what goes on in Bahrain, in many ways. But it is if I'm involved in the sport and that's my life, and the sport is going to Bahrain."

"My view is the sport, and the governing body of the sport, should ensure they're not being hijacked for the wrong reasons. And I'm not entirely sure they've cleared up that point, I have to say."

Meanwhile Bahraini protestors have already expressed sentiments against the race, with Reuters reporting one 22-year-old university student as saying,

"The race brings money to the regime, which they use to buy weapons and attack us.. Of course we're against it".

Also see:

The myth of sports and repressive regimes (03 Aug 2011)

A force for good or ill? Cricket and Sri Lanka today (08 July 2011)

Why a sports boycott is essential for justice (02 July 2011)

Impossible to ignore (21 June 2011)

The link between Sport and Politics (20 June 2011)

Also see our editorial: Politics and cricket: stepping up to the crease on Sri Lanka (5 April 2013)

The last British detainee in the US prisoners’ camp at Guantanamo Bay has exposed “deteriorating” conditions of inmates and said there was “systematic torture” by US personnel.

Shaker Aamer said he was afraid that he and fellow inmates will die due to the treatment form guards. Several detainees are on hunger strike, due to the indefinite detention and intrusive searches, with some currently being force-fed by guards.

Dozens of inmates have been cleared for release, with Shaker Aamer having been cleared for release twice, by both the Bush and the Obama administration.

The British government has lobbied called for his release, saying on Sunday: "we want him released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency".

"I might die this time," he is quoted by his lawyer Stafford Smith as saying, adding: "I cannot give you numbers and names, but people are dying here."

"I can't read. I am dizzy and I fall down all the time. I do not call (the guards), as it is humiliating. When they call Code Yellow (for when a prisoner collapses), they step on your fingers, your hands, they scratch you, even then you are living in fear when they say they are treating you.

"Yesterday they tied me on the board and they threw me in a cell because the medical people were busy. So they only took me to another cell. You are lucky if you get a medical space."

"In the night people are dying from the cold. In the day they are dying from the heat. People cry from the heat and humidity – I could not put the prayer schedule on the wall because it was so damp. It is systematic torture," Aamer told his lawyer.

"No matter how much I show you I am tough, really I am dying inside," he told Stafford Smith.

There have been clashes between guards and prisoners recently, when guards attempted to move the detainees from communal areas.

A series of suicide attacks have killed up to 29 people in Mogadishu, Somalia.

The blasts have been blamed on Al-Shabaab, the Somali offshoot of al-Qaeda, and witnesses have reported that at least three suicide bombers were involved.

See the Telegraph for full report.